1. Field
The present invention relates to a basketball standard and, in particular, to a basketball standard in which an upper tube telescopes with respect to a lower tube to adjust the height of a backboard.
2. State of the Art
In recent years, basketball standards having an adjustable height backboard have become popular. Three basic arrangements are commonly used. In one arrangement, a supporting pole is embedded in the ground or connected to a movable support. A backboard is connected to the supporting pole by bars arranged in parallelogram. The backboard may be raised or lowered by changing the angle of the bars. A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the bars are relatively short so there is a limited range of heights at which the backboard may be positioned.
In a second arrangement, the backboard is attached to bars that are connected to a supporting pole by a bracket(s), which surrounds the pole. The bracket(s) is selectively tightened around the pole, allowing the bracket(s) to slide up and down the pole, thus raising and lowering the backboard. A disadvantage of this arrangement is the backboard is difficult to raise and lower.
In a third arrangement, which is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,412,679 to Mahoney, deceased et al., a lower pole is secured to the ground or a moveable support. An upper pole, which supports a backboard, fits partially inside the lower pole. The upper tube telescopes with respect to the lower pole to change the height of the backboard. The upper pole rises under the force of a spring or hydraulic actuator and lowers under the force of gravity. The upper tube is locked at a particular desired height under the force of a locking nut member inserted into the lower tube. A disadvantage of the third approach is the height of the backboard is determined by the placement of the locking nut member creating some difficulty in raising and lowering the backboard.